


Hot and Cold

by madaminferno



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Backstory, F/F, Freeform, Other, Slow Burn, Speculation, probably none of this will be canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2016-02-04
Packaged: 2018-05-06 11:39:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5415509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madaminferno/pseuds/madaminferno
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Ruby was just another Ruby toiling away under the press of hard labor on Homeworld until an unusual, otherwordly assignment - colonizing a new planet, no less - challenged everything she thought she ever knew about gems. // More characters will be added to the tags as they make more frequent appearances (Eventual Rose/Pearl at the least). Ch.3 notes address canon.</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. Day In, Day Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ruby was just another Ruby toiling away under the press of hard labor on Homeworld until an unusual, otherwordly assignment - colonizing a new planet, no less - challenged everything she thought she ever knew about gems. // More characters will be added to the tags as they make more frequent appearances (Eventual Rose/Pearl at the least). Ch.3 notes address canon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As we haven't yet seen Homeworld, I took a fair amount of liberty in its description, functions, and caste system. First chapter is primarily world-building/setup.

If she could sweat, she would have been drenched from head to toe. Fortunately, her body was incapable of such a gross function. It didn't make the labor more bearable, though.

  


With a frustrated grunt she hauled her weight against the turnstile, her feet leaving smoldering divots in the soil behind her as she fought against the wheel's resistance. How much longer until her shift was over? The night was long on Homeworld and only daybreak would bring rest; the overseers wouldn't want to risk the fires of their exertion under the incessant heat of midday, lest the Pit become a veritable furnace. She frowned, grumbled under her breath at the dark sky, and leaned into the groaning machine further.

  


Her assignment partner rolled her eyes. "Complaining won't make this go any faster, y'know." Her ire wasn't as fierce, but the temperament behind it was the same. The Ruby only grumbled louder in return before they both lapsed back into silence under the creaking of metal against metal as they pushed their wheel around and around.

  


The Pit was a near-literal cog in the wheel of gem production. Without it -- and without its scores of identical, hot-headed laborers -- the ambitious military of the Diamonds would not be possible. However, like almost every other role on the planet, the job awarded no notoriety; gems were not unique and could be easily replaced. It was only those who planned and contrived that managed to make names for themselves through the convoluted system that served as gem politics and, eventually, rise to power. As a laborer, the Ruby likely would never know anything other than work or, maybe someday, blessed oblivion.

  


The hours slogged onward as the Ruby reflected, yet again, on her existence to date. There wasn't much to it, really, and it was the same with every other Ruby in the Pit. She was relatively young in comparison to some of her companions, holding a mere several hundred years to some of their millenia, but it seemed to stretch further in her mind; monotony can do that.

  


The Ruby emerged so long ago like others of her kind, breaking the surface of her rocky kindergarten with no complications. She was promptly categorized, inspected, and sent to orientation. The Ruby soon found there wasn't much to learn, there, other than what every single night of the rest of her life would look like.

  


Receive your assignment. Report for duty. Perform adequately. Recouperate. Repeat.

  


It wasn't _fair_. It was boring and hard and stupid and she _hated_ it but she wasn't ready to be crushed. She didn't know what she was waiting for; maybe someday, she fantasized, the Rubies would collectively realize their combined potential and overtake the Pit. Maybe they could force the overseers to retreat into their gems and bury them, maybe they could emerge from this hole and melt their way through the crystal parapets and stone monuments and glass towers, maybe they could even fuse whole and storm the launch base, maybe --

  


But then what?

  


She never could figure out what they would do with their freedom. The Rubies weren't cultivated for detailed strategy. Even en masse, any such rebellion was likely to end in catastrophe without a capable leader.

  


So she worked.

  


The sun peeked above the corrugated horizon and the Ruby allowed herself to lean against the turnstile for a moment. Her assignment partner on the other side rested her head against its pillar, her shoulders shaking from exertion. They said nothing; there was nothing to say. The grand machine towering over them ceased its groaning and steaming ever so slowly, and soon was silent and cold. The Ruby glanced up to the catwalk edging the pit where the overseers stood. As one, they seemed to note the position of the sun, stoically turn away, and move out of sight. The Rubies began queuing for the stairs shortly after. Some gems lingered, their faces contorted with frustration or exhaustion, but all eventually filed up the steps to to the exit. 

  


As a Ruby, she was otherwise her own gem and had private quarters to which she could retire, but the Ruby lingered aboveground to soak in the light as her companions meandered away through the streets. Her face was blank as she surveyed her city for what seemed to be the millionth time. As always, she was unimpressed.

  


It wasn't the most advanced city she had been assigned to, but it certainly wasn't the boondocks. Begrudgingly, she acknowledged the transparent, clustered towers shone prettily in the morning as they cast rainbows on the smaller stone warehouses below. Silver pipes large and small wound through and around some of the smaller buildings, carrying all sorts of data and energy sources between districts. In the distance structures of varying height punctuated the horizon, likely more segregated recouperation quarters. She could only assume; a Ruby rarely had reason to explore the more affluent areas of town.

  


Her brow creased as she became aware of the tightness of her fist. She had to consciously force her fingers apart. There was never a way to tell who was watching.

  


The Ruby turned her back on the city and headed deeper, following the other laborers into the darker recesses. Their district was about utility, not aesthetic, and this was reflected in its form as much as in its inhabitants. She passed under a large pipe, easily twice her height in diameter, and was bathed in scalding steam as a seam cracked above her. She didn't mind the heat -- she was impervious to it, actually, being her primary function -- but the blasted thing was just one mistake in a long line of grievances and she'd had enough.

  


She groaned in rage, shaking and shivering as she screwed up her face. In a bark of frustration she was engulfed and her fires roared high above her, such was her hatred of everything in this city. The Ruby glared at the ground, thinking of the overseers and the Diamonds and the Pit and the machine, and she only burned brighter.

  


Curious denizens began showing their faces in windows and doorways, some concerned and some disgusted. Displays of extreme emotion were heavily frowned upon; emotion was the gateway to irregular behaviors and sometimes, to the distress of the higher ranks, a refusal of role. Rebellion. Annihilation.

  


The Ruby sobered enough for her flames to lessen. Another gem, an Emerald, approached her with a stern look on her face. The Ruby silently understood the danger being conveyed -- _they're watching, theyre always watching, and you'll take us all down with you_ \-- and she didn't want to be assaulted in the street, didn't want to be arrested, "dealt with". With concentration, she tamped herself until she was only slightly smoldering. 

  


"Just. Fixing. The pipe," she hissed through clenched teeth. The steel above her was a little twisted and no longer smooth, but the offending breach had indeed been welded shut.

  


The Emerald shook her head and returned to her quarters. The Ruby stalked down a side alley, choosing to take an alternate route rather than pass in front of the rows and rows of windows full of condemning onlookers. Beneath the pipe was a large patch of fused glass where the Ruby had stood.

  


As she stalked the shade between the buildings and wound her way further into the maze of structures, her anger cooled until she was left with nothing but dejection. Is this... is this all she would ever know? Really? This was all there is? Why?

  


The Ruby sighed and shoved her hands in her pockets. Soon she arrived at her own building, but she couldn't bring herself to cross the threshold. Her head dropped back and she frowned at the high-rise with narrowed eyes. It wasn't as dilapidated as some of the older domiciles near the outskirts, but it would probably need to be renovated soon. She didn't envy the builder gems. 

  


The walls had long since lost their sheen, and the small, round windows had begun to adopt a patina around the edges. The upper levels were spotted with rust; some patches had been allowed to progress enough in neglect that the underlying support beams were exposed to the growing dawn. Faintly, she smelled something bitter emanating from the entrance and her lip curled in distaste. A light node in the entryway flickered once, twice, then gave up for good.

  


She would never call it home.

  


The Ruby shifted her weight from foot to foot. She didn't want to be here, but there was nowhere else to go. Entertainment was reserved for the upper echelons and pastimes were only feasible for the gems who weren't relegated to the hardest jobs. With no alternative, she climbed the few stairs and ambled down the hall.

  


Her door slammed shut with more force than she intended. She couldn't put her finger on the reason why today, of all days, had her so on edge. It was a simple, boring existence, but it was no different than any other of her thousands of days -- yet there was something nagging at the back of her mind, in a place where she couldn't pin it down and put it into words. Maybe this was what made today unique? The Ruby didn't like this feeling, whatever it was.

  


There wasn't much to distract her here. She cast a dismissive glance around the contents of her tiny room: a hard, composite bench for rest; a small table of the same substance for any reports she may need to read or write; a cabinet in the corner for the few possessions she could claim; a terminal against the far wall for communications and assignments. She often tried to ignore the fact that all fixtures and furniture were made of the same, compressed waste. Gems as a race rarely had refuse, and everything from excavated (but useless) soil to centuries - dead crushed gems was recycled into a new purpose, including building materials. The Ruby sometimes wondered if that would be her fate as well, when she was no longer of any use. It wasn't something she liked to think about.

  


With a sigh she collapsed onto the bench. The ceiling wasn't much to look at, but it was there, so she occupied herself by trying to pick out patterns and shapes in the dark, multicolored grains of the plaster smeared across the whole of it to seal it all together. Sometimes she thought she could see the outlines of flames spiraling outward from the main light node, but whenever she tried to focus she lost the pattern of them amongst the speckled hues.

  


The day seemed shorter than the tedious night on Homeworld. Beings of light could survive here where organic species could not; a gigantic planet with only a single, distant sun would never have supported any but gemkind. 

  


The Ruby groaned. She had wasted half the day with her dawdling and zoning out, and wasn't looking forward to her evening assignment. She just knew it would be the same thing as last night. It had been decades since she'd been assigned anything interesting, but even still, her primary role always was -- and always would be -- the Pit.

  


The Pit was one of the spokes that surrounded the central, cylindrical machine. There were eight areas dedicated to the function and maintenance of that thing, but the Ruby was both uninterested and mostly uninformed about the roles of the other sections; her life was the Pit and curiosity was forcibly discouraged. She was sure they were important roles, but the Pit, in her opinion, surely was the most valued of those.

  


Though Homeworld was older than the Ruby could fathom, its size still allowed for kindergarten activity. Granted, Homeworld production was much rarer than it had been thousands of years ago -- colonizing other planets had both lessened the need and eased the burden -- some gems, the rarer gems, had to be produced where the materials naturally occurred.

  


Gems could occur naturally, of course, but the process of searching for and randomly finding them, let alone finding sentient gems, was too inefficient. An ancient gem had standardized the process. Gems could be created with the proper balance of materials, temperatures, and pressure. The machine to which the Ruby was usually assigned was responsible for maintaining intense pressure in the planet's core, which had gradually decreased over the years due to unceasing mining activity. It was both essential for survival and reproduction that it be maintained.

  


Sometimes, some of the Rubies would be sent to other areas to personally stoke the forges. The Ruby had been on these assignments before, but she was usually only assigned such as a last resort. Her emotional variations remained a slight outlier in the accepted range expected in a Ruby, and as a result, her flames could not be consistent enough for forge work. Thus, the Pit.

  


She was sure it would be the Pit again.

  


The sun was nearing the horizon already, shadows stretching long across the floor, and the Ruby's irritation had only worsened. She was sprawled on the bench still. There had been little to do today; a single, minor communication had been answered, surfaces begrudgingly cleaned of the stone dust that accumulated so easily here, worldwide announcements read and subsequently ignored. Any moment now the terminal would beep out its annoying notification alert, telling her that it was time to report to the Pit.

  


Any moment. Yep.

  


Aaaaaaaany second now.

  


The Ruby grumbled and stood. Just like everything else in this building, the stupid terminal was probably on the fritz. She stood with her fists on her hips, glaring at the screen, but she could see no damage and any software malfunction would be beyond her expertise. She'd never _not_ had an assignment before, so surely there was a problem on her end. In all her years, she'd never had to seek out her assignments. Her forehead creased in mild confusion as she wondered what she was supposed to do. Should she report to the Pit anyways? Should she try to contact a technician? Should she seek out an overseer and ask where to go? 

  


She didn't want to look like a dolt, though, so she decided to go ahead to the Pit; it was probably better to assume it would be the same as always, and she was running out of time. The sun was dangerously close to setting; if she wasn't working by full night, her spot would be empty, her partner would be unable to turn the stile efficiently... there would be consequences. Punishment. She shivered.

  


The Ruby had her hand on the door when the blasted terminal finally chirped its tone for a message received. She growled and spun on her heel, but stopped when she saw the unfamiliar program on the screen. It wasn't the short and simple line of glyphs that told her where she would be working that night. She'd never before received a missive so long.

  


The Ruby approached the terminal to read more closely and her eyes widened. Surely this was a mistake. There was no way. She reread it at least three times and could find no evidence that it was fake, or that it had been sent to the wrong gem.

  


It was a summons. 

  


She was to report to the launch base.


	2. Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ruby is still just a Ruby, but now she's a Ruby in space. (A pinch of salt, a dash of plot, cover and simmer...)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos! Aaaaawesome. Hope you're enjoying it so far, and comments are desperately welcome!

The Ruby gathered her meager belongings in a tiny red knapsack. There wasn't much to pack, but she didn't know if she'd ever return to her personal quarters, and she sure wasn't going to let someone else have her stuff. They were mostly useless trinkets; one in particular was a long, orange shard she had found lying on the side of the street centuries ago. The Ruby often wondered who it had been and how pieces of her came to litter the labor district. She lingered on this one, twisting it side to side to examine her reflection.

  


The Ruby looked like nearly all Rubies. Though this was standard, it sometimes bothered her. Her dark red skin looked brown in the tinted visage staring back at her, and her black hair was naturally large and rounded; her black and red uniform was the same as every other laborer's -- though dyed to match her own colors -- with a flat red panel from her shoulders to her waist, red simple shoes, and black, knee-length leotard beneath it all. The mandatory yellow diamond emblem rested in the very middle of her chest as a symbol of property, not rank, and was yet another source of her ire. Her gloved hands clenched the gem shard, covering her mirrored face.

  


With a little hesitation, the Ruby placed the shard into her bag with the handful of other baubles. She wasn't quite sure what suspicions would arise if it had been left for discovery, or who would be upset that she had kept a piece of the dead, so it was likely in her best interest to keep it with her.

  


She grunted as she cinched the sack shut and slung it over a shoulder. The Ruby glanced again at the terminal beside her, and her brows knitted together in worry as she read the message again. The most important section of the long, rambling missive was, of course, at the very end:

  


  


_"In sum, all assignments normally scheduled to the Ruby have been placed on hold indefinitely. The Ruby is to report to the launch base no later than sunbreak of 291:33P. The Ruby will receive further instructions upon arrival."_

  


  


She clutched her bag and glanced over the screen at the single window of her quarters. It was small, only affording her a miniscule view of the city, but by the lengths of the shadows under Homeworld's moon she could tell there was a decent amount of time until the sun rose again. She had until dawn. How long did it take to get to the launch base? She'd never been there before.

  


The Ruby clicked the door shut behind her and sighed. This was all incredibly confusing, but she could at least take solace in the fact that the launch base meant she wasn't headed for punishment, just another job. There was no telling what, exactly, that job was, of course, but she could be fairly sure she wasn't going to be punished or crushed.

  


As she left her domicile, a wry smile crossed her face and she chuckled darkly. At least she wouldn't be coming back here for a long, _long_ time, if at all. Good riddance.

  


The streets weren't busy by any means but there were still some gems wandering around, finishing chores and assignments for the day. Most gems were assigned day work and their shifts had just ended. 

  


An Agate was repairing a window, some sort of machine slung over her back that connected to the long hose in her hand and which must have been the source of the clear goo she was spreading over the surface. By the time the Ruby has passed her, the material had hardened and the cracks in the window had been filled. The Agate glanced at the Ruby and then away. Her movements were faltering, hurried; she was trying to rush while also trying desperately to avoid mistakes. The Ruby figured she was running late. She wasn't sure what the gem's punishment would be if she wasn't finished with her task soon, but she did know it wouldn't be pleasant.

  


She was near the Pit when she passed under the pipe from last night, nearly slipping and falling on the patch of ground she had melted. The Ruby righted herself with a grumble and retrieved her knapsack from where it had fallen on the ground.

  


"Are you leaving?" 

  


The Ruby glanced back over her shoulder to see an Emerald leaning out from a nearby doorway. The Ruby turned to her, looked her up and down. It was the same gem from last night.

  


The Emeralds as a group were taller than the Rubies, less stocky, though both were still shorter than non-labor gems. This Emerald in particular was of the most common variety. Her dark green hair framed her face in short, tight ringlets, contrasting her lightly tinted skin. The Ruby could see the top of her gem peeking from the neckline of her simple short dress - square-cut and faceted, it seemed.

  


"My assignment is off-world," the Ruby offered in answer. She could tell this was just as bewildering to the other gem when her eyebrows shot up in surprise. At least she wasn't the only one who thought so.

  


"Off-world? Who did you piss off?" The Emerald stepped towards the Ruby, her hands hanging passively at her sides. The tension from the previous night's altercation had dissipated, and the Ruby found her shoulders easing in response. "They usually only ship out troublemakers."

  


"Yeah. Lucky me." The Ruby looked above her at the mangled pipe. That couldn't be the reason, could it? Sure she had lost her temper, lost control, but the pipe was fixed. It wasn't her role to repair things, but it had been an accident... would they really send her away for that?

  


The Emerald followed her gaze upwards and her mouth dropped into a slight frown. "That can't be it. That was only last night. They wouldn't make a decision that quickly. What else have you done?"

  


"Nothing!" The accusation stung slightly. She wasn't a rebel. She may have often balked at her assignments, but always as silently as possible. She knew her role, she knew the rules -- and she knew the consequences for nonconformity.

  


"Then why..." The Emerald looked from the Ruby to the pipe and back, her face concerned. She didn't dare finish her sentence, or she risked being accused of questioning the natural order.

  


The Ruby could only stare in response.

  


Eventually, the Emerald shifted uncomfortably in the silence. "Well... good luck, I suppose." She folded her hands demurely in front of her.

  


"Thanks." The Ruby clutched the bag at her shoulder and dug her toe into the soil. Without looking up, she muttered, "You too. I guess." The Emerald flashed her a half-hearted smile in return before disappearing once again.

  


As the Ruby made her way closer to the center of the city, she passed the Pit. She could hear the grunts and yells of the Rubies' hard work, down at the bottom, unseen. An overseer stared at her as she passed, face unsettlingly blank as usual. The Ruby hesitated -- surely they already knew she'd been reassigned? She pressed her knees together to quiet their shaking, her eyes darting around nervously. The Ruby had decided to explain herself, had opened her mouth to speak, but the overseer finally lost interest and turned back to face the pit, silently supervising like all the rest.

  


She resisted the urge to laugh as she hurried past. Beyond the Pit was the forges, wrapping back around the machine and extending out of sight, and beyond that, more sections she'd never seen. The Ruby was tempted to jog by to try and discover what kinds of jobs were hidden from her, but had plenty of reasons not to -- chief of which was that she assumed other areas had their own supervisors who, like at the Pit, were there to prevent intrusion as much as they were there to ensure productivity.

  


The Ruby had long since passed her usual stomping grounds by the time she realized the landscape around her was changing. The short, neglected buildings with which she was so acquainted gradually gave way to taller, thinner buildings made of lighter, brighter materials. The hard-packed, sandy dirt that served as roads closer to her quarters had turned into cobbled, multicolored glass pathways. The windows here were highly polished, and she couldn't see rust no matter how hard she looked. The supply pipes in this area were high and arching, elegant in the way they curved from one building to another, and the workmanship was so advanced the Ruby couldn't even see seams in them, let alone breaches.

  


She stopped to peer in a window, cupping her hands on either side of her face to block out the light nodes lining the street. The inside of this building was dim, empty of gems during the night, but the Ruby could make out rows upon rows of tables, almost all of which were littered with wires and various terminal parts. _This must be where the assembly technicians work,_ she thought.

  


The Ruby glanced up at the corner of the nearby intersection, searching for and finding a navigation menu. She sidled up to it, hands on her hips, and stared it down. "So, I'm _here_ ," she muttered to herself, finger lightly tapping a glowing sphere on the map. "How do I get to the launch base from here?"

  


The menu on the screen shivered slightly and the sphere under her finger flickered. The Ruby removed her hand from the console. The little light began moving, tracing the lines of the roads and alleys, turning left and right and left again, before it came to a rest against an area so large it wouldn't fit entirely on the monitor. "Great. Thanks," the Ruby grumbled. She waved at the navigator and received a pleased chirping noise in response.

  


It wasn't far. The Ruby quickened her pace when she made note of how low the giant moon hung in the sky; she'd meandered long enough. She traced with her feet at a slight jog the route the navigator had shown her, vaguely wondering who she had been and how long ago she'd been sentenced.

  


When she turned the final corner, the launch base loomed over her. In terms of area it was at least as large as the machine, maybe even twice that. Low buildings peppered the ground as far as she could see beyond the tall fences. The Ruby surpressed a moment of mild panic when a ship took flight in a slow arc towards the upper reaches of the atmosphere, something in her chest fluttering with the thought that she'd missed her assignment. She took a breath to steady herself; it wasn't yet sunbreak, though the horizon was lightening, and she still had time. It was only with a small amount of trepidation that she approached the gate. It may have been the need to overcompensate that urged her to clench her fists, raise her chin, and puff out her chest as she drew up to the guards.

  


Before she could announce her reason for approach, the guards eased their stances and glared down at her. They were both Jaspers, their orange-and-red skin seeming to glow under their long mops of white hair. One of them carried a large bludgeoning weapon covered in erratic, short spikes; the other sported thick greaves of a similarly-stabby fashion. The guards simultaneously released their weapon constructs, and the Ruby waited somewhat impatiently as the maul disappeared into a chin gem and the greaves dissipated into a throat gem.

  


The Jasper with the maul spoke first. "Are you one of the runts shipping out at sunbreak?"

  


The Ruby nearly bit off her tongue from the effort it took to restrain her reaction. "Yes," she growled. 

  


"Go on then!" The Jasper who had brandished the greaves let loose a heavy guffaw, hand on her hip. "And don't come back!"

  


The Ruby moved through the now-open gates, rolling her eyes at the machismo. Jaspers were generally abrasive to begin with, and they saw little -- if any -- value in gems they deemed weaker, even for labor. If she never saw another Jasper again, she decided, it would be too soon.

  


She crossed the wide expanse between the fences and the primary hub, hands wrapped tight around the strap over her shoulder. The launch base almost seemed deserted, but every few minutes an interplanetary ferry would raise from among the buildings and fly out of sight so there must have been gems around. The Ruby approached the nearest grand doorway, her hand outstretched to push it open, but she promptly jumped back when it began to move.

  


With a gem in proximity, the door itself lit up in a brief flash before dissolving away in a blue foam, leaving a simple, open archway for the Ruby to enter. "Fancy," the Ruby whispered sarcastically, then strode through.

  


Unlike the assembly technician warehouse, the hub was brightly lit despite the late hour and full of a multitude of gems of all shapes and sizes. To the awe of the Ruby, a giant fused Calcite strode through towards the hangars, though the Ruby had no idea what she would be used for. A group of Moonstones huddled nearby, sneering down their noses at passerby and twirling their iridescent hair out of boredom. There was a pair of Lapis Lazulis by the far wall engaged in a hushed argument with a flustered Hematite, and a single Aquamarine flitted through the throngs nervously attending to a variety of gems. Amongst it all milled gems of dozens of colors, some in groups and some by themselves, all headed to a myriad of destinations.

  


More than a little overwhelmed, the Ruby hesitated in the entrance until she was nearly bowled over by someone coming in behind her. Both gems straightened. The newcomer was a Bloodstone, her mottled skin seeming to shimmer under the bright lights of the hub. "Move," she demanded in a low voice, and the Ruby could only comply. As the Bloodstone headed off down a large hall, the Ruby accidentally stepped on someone's foot and sighed.

  


The other gem beat her to an apology. "I'm so sorry!" came the trembling, high voice behind her. "You are a Ruby, yes?"

  


The Ruby turned to see the Aquamarine offering her a shy smile. "Yeah?"

  


"I believe you are the last to arrive. I am to take you to debriefing. Please follow me." The lithe gem turned and hurried off to the left, leaving the Ruby scrambling to catch up.

  


By the time the Ruby met back up with the Aquamarine, they had both cleared the worst parts of the crowd. "So... what's going on?" 

  


"You are being assigned to a different planet." The Aquamarine peered at the smaller gem from around her pale blue, close-cropped hair. After a moment of silence she added, "...I do not know more than that. I am sorry."

  


"You don't have to apologize," the Ruby grumbled. She honestly hadn't expected the servant would know more than she did, so she didn't consider it a big deal.

  


The further they walked, the fewer gems they encountered. The pair passed hangar after hangar and the Ruby wondered how much further they had to go. Her question was answered before she could ask as the Aquamarine abruptly turned into a large hall on their left.

  


The room they entered was massive, and was almost completely packed with dozens of different gem types. Most of them were clustered into impromptu sections, generally preferring to associate with their own kin, and as a result the crowd almost seemed to be a gigantic rainbow. The Ruby noticed a gathering of other Rubies near the back and, after hasty thanks to her blue guide, she trotted over to join them just as the sun broke over the horizon.

  


On cue, a tall gem at the front stepped onto a small dais, her hands clasped stoically before her hips and an air of importance surrounding her. "May I have your attention," she called out calmly. To the Ruby's surprise, the gathered gems immediately ceased conversation and turned to listen.

  


The Ruby frowned. She'd never seen one of these gems before. _A Pyrope,_ she thought, _or maybe a Purpurite._ The gem that had so serenely demanded -- and received -- their attention was double the height of the Rubies, though her skin was much, much darker, almost black even in the light, with a slight purple shimmer. Her hair was kept long and loose and hung in waves to her hips. Her dress was a simple purple knee-length sheath, pegging her as more of a bureaucrat than a servant. The Ruby noted the smooth, rectangular violet stone nestled at the base of her throat. _A Pyrope, then._

  


"You have all been summoned to participate in an expedition to a newly-discovered planet. Our preliminary reports indicate prime kindergarten locations throughout the planet, though it is exceedingly organic." The gem swept her gaze across the room. "Despite the environment, we have found no evidence of intelligent life. Therefore, your expedition will be accompanied by minimal security. Make no mistake," her eyes turned sharp, "reinforcements can arrive swiftly."

  


A small Pearl stepped to her side, demurely whispered something, then quickly stepped away. The Pyrope nodded before continuing. "Your primary mission, as a group, is the establishment of kindergartens. Your commander will arrange you into teams as necessary for related tasks. You are all expected to follow her lead as you would follow the Honorable Diamonds. Are there any questions?" Her gaze was uninterested as she waited for all of three seconds. "Good. The door to my left leads to your ship. There are a few Cinnabars waiting for you through the door; the Cinnabars will point you to your in-flight quarters. You are to remain there until you land. Dismissed."

  


The crowd immediately began pouring to one side of the room as the Pyrope stepped down from the dais and disappeared from the Ruby's line of sight. As a whole they queued, filing through the exit in a timely manner, and the Ruby looked over her shoulder at the expansive windows lining the room.

  


The sun was a bit higher, now, nearly shining straight down upon her, and she realized the emotions she felt were mostly wistful. This planet was all she had ever known and, even though she often hated it to the core of her being, a small part of her wondered if she would ever see it again. Something told her she would not. She couldn't figure out why that would be a bad thing.

  


The flow of the crowd urged her through the doorway and she blinked as she adjusted to the dimmer interior. A hulking Cinnabar was ushering the Rubies onwards, pointing to another Cinnabar leading the pack. The Ruby silently went where she was told. Very few gems were bothering to speak, and while some seemed to be excited and eager, there were more than a few who were obviously feeling the same as the Ruby.

  


Moments later, the Ruby found herself in a private room much smaller than the private quarters she had known in the labor district. There was only a metal bench and small terminal. Uneasily she noted the small window strip along the middle of the far wall; this was her first flight, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to see the space they would be passing through.

  


The Ruby grunted in displeasure and securely tucked her knapsack under the bench -- she didn't want it to spill if there was turbulence -- before plastering her face against the window pane. They were obviously still in the hangar; there was no sunlight casting shadows beyond the reinforced glass and probably wouldn't be until the walls fell away to make room for takeoff. Her reflection glared back at her, and it only made her more grumpy.

  


She stayed that way for several minutes, listening to the voices in the hall ebb and flow. It was silent for a while at one point and the Ruby angrily wondered what they were waiting on; moments later, a musical laugh in the hallway caught her attention. Curious, she cracked her door to peer outside, looking back and forth for the source of that sound. At the other end of the hallway leading deeper into the ship the sound of cheerful conversation drew her attention. She leaned further into the hall just in time to glimpse a large gem in white skirts gracefully disappear around the corner, a smattering of servant gems trailing her. Another giggle erupted, echoing back to the Ruby, and something in it eased her frown.

  


The rumble of the ship interrupted her thoughts and she nervously darted over to the bench. Her fingers gripped the edge tightly. She had no idea what to expect, either from the flight or their destination. The window on her left brightened as the walls indeed fell away and the floor beneath her feet trembled.

  


The Ruby focused on her breathing, fixing her gaze on a random point on the floor, refusing to allow herself to think about all the "what ifs". As the ship finally left the ground and the city stretched before her sight, the Ruby's ear twitched. Was that the hum of the engines?

  


No, she decided. The sound was lyrical, beautiful, and carried purpose. Her eyes drifted closed and her fingers slowly unclenched as the melody dove deep in her, chasing out the anxiety and worry.

  


Someone, somewhere in the ship, was singing.


	3. In Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we're getting somewhere - albeit slowly! The Ruby finally touches down on Earth and really can't get over the novelty of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT!
> 
> So, I began writing this fic literally a WEEK before I found out the latest Stevenbomb would be focused on Garnet's origin, and it was AMAZING. I couldn't even deal for like a week, totally overwhelmed, Big Boss Candy Floss is the best thing that's ever happened and it was absolutely perfect in every way oh my goodness. 
> 
>  
> 
> Since then I've been thinking a lot about this fic and whether or not to scrap it. I knew it would be irrelevant someday, I just didn't think it would happen so soon! And, I've found I miss writing this; it's working some literary muscles I haven't stretched in years, and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed fanfiction in general.
> 
>  
> 
> Mainly because I'm stubborn, I'll be continuing this to the best of my ability. I am fairly sure I can work in the canon towards the end, though to build up to that will mean this fic ends up a bit longer than I anticipated. Regardless, thank you very much for reading, and for the kudos!

It was two full weeks before the Ruby left her quarters.

 

Most gems had fearfully heeded the Pyrope's command to remain in their designated areas until the ship reached its destination, but a handful of the brave tested the invisible boundaries, darting to and fro amongst the tiny rooms either to chat or just for the thrill. The Ruby had mostly managed to ignore the noise and occasional giggles, and when she couldn't, she would glare angrily at her ceiling until it passed. Her irritation grew until a particularly noisy commotion finally demanded her attention halfway through the journey.

 

The Ruby yanked open her door, steam rolling off her to pool and spread against the hallway ceiling. "What's going on?" she growled under her breath, stomping down the corridor. She stopped just beyond the corner as a crowd of gems had gathered. Some seemed merely curious, while others were obviously glad for the distraction from the otherwise quiet atmosphere.

 

"I didn't mean to!"

 

"I don't _care_ if you didn't _mean_ to, it still happened and I expect you to _fix it_!"

 

The Ruby frowned. She was too short and too far back to see who was arguing, but at least one of the voices sounded vaguely familiar. Grunting in frustration, she nudged and prodded her way between hips and legs to get a better view, ignoring the indignant looks shot in her direction.

 

The crowd formed a wide ring around two different gems, and the Ruby immediately knew this couldn't end well. Her temper cooled slightly as she realized there was no way she could intervene.

 

The smaller gem had her back to the Ruby, but the latter noted her pale pink skin, her unusually colorful uniform, and her unruly white hair; this was a Feldspar, as small as the Ruby but lean where she was instead stocky. The Feldspars were often utilised in more creative assignments, as their primary functions often pertained to glass and form.

 

Across from the dainty artist gem was a towering warrior-type the Ruby immediately recognized: the Bloodstone that had nearly trampled her at the launch base. Her face was as unkind now as it had been then, and her speckled skin seemed even harsher in the red light nodes of the ship. Her black hair was cropped short to her chin in a flat, smooth curve. Even now she wore her armor; the Ruby narrowed her eyes, and the thought crossed her mind that the Bloodstone must have been looking for any reason to fight.

 

The Bloodstone was easily double the height of the Feldspar. The smaller gem was visibly trembling, her hand loosely wrapped around something metallic. The Ruby clenched her fist and determinedly inched closer to the edge of the crowd.

 

"I-- I can't make it exactly the way it was--"

 

"Then you shouldn't have been touching things that weren't yours," the Bloodstone sneered.

 

"I can try to fix it! Really! You won't even notice --"

 

"I already know you touched it, and that's all I need to know!" The hulking gem stepped closer to the Feldspar. "Do you know what I do to gems that break my things?"

 

"I-- I--"

 

The Ruby clenched her teeth as the larger gem bared hers in a wide grin. A stone in the middle of her chest began to glow, and the Bloodstone languidly brushed her fingers across its facets.

 

On her left hand, the Ruby's own gem lit up in response, though she knew better than to call her weapon now.

 

"I - smash - them," the Bloodstone whispered, and she yanked her fist away from her gem, a streak of red light trailing behind. The pommel formed in her fingers first, and the flash solidified into a wide, flat weapon nearly as long as she was tall. 

 

 _She has a freakin' sword!_ the Ruby thought, alarmed.

 

"No!" the Feldspar cowered, sinking to her knees with her hands over the left side of her chest in a futile attempt to shield her own gem. "Please, don't! I swear I'll never touch your belongings again! It was a horrible mistake!"

 

The Bloodstone's smile turned feral, eager. "I know." Her elbow whipped to the side, sword sweeping in a wide arc, causing several gems to shriek and jump away. After a moment's suspense she cast her arm forward in a simple strike that would split the Feldspar in two like a mere flower.

 

A roar erupted from the crowd as the weapon bounced up and away, disappearing in a shower of sparks as it left its bearer's grip. The larger gem stood, bewildered, as her gaze rose up the towering height of the gem now standing between her and her prey.

 

The Ruby could hardly see the sobbing Feldspar; she was clutching into the white skirts of  an impressive quartz. A pale arm curved forward leisurely, supporting an oversized, pink shield. Magenta curls bounced gently with the force of the reverberation. Her expression was one of cool disdain, and she allowed the silence to hold for several moments before her own shield construct folded upon itself and plinked out of existence.

 

"Explain," she said simply. 

The crowd was completely silent, some gems at the edge even taking the opportunity to slip away to their quarters. The Bloodstone even was quiet for several moments to assess the situation. She seemingly decided to yield. "The Feldspar stole and mangled a trinket that belonged to me. I was simply seeking reparations."

 

The larger of the two narrowed her eyes slightly but otherwise remained unperturbed. "This is not reparations." The Ruby watched as her white skirts shifted and the gem lowered herself to the floor. "Hello, there. I am Rose Quartz. Feldspar, would you please tell me what happened?"

 

The Feldspar halted her sniffling at the Quartz' unusual familiarity. Her eyes widened slightly as her fingers trembled. "I -- I found a piece of iron. It was really very pretty, it wasn't rusted at all, but it was laying in the hallway and no one claimed it, so -- so I -- "

 

"It's all right," the Rose Quartz prompted gently. "Please, continue."

 

"I just... played with it..." the Feldspar whispered as she reached into her pocket. She presented the metal to the Quartz, her gaze downcast. "I didn't know it belonged to her, I swear it."

 

The Rose Quartz gracefully plucked the small statue from her hands and held it up to the light to examine it. After a moment, a slow smile spread across her face. "This is quite pretty. Did you use your tools?"

 

"I did."

 

"Well, it's excellent craftsmanship. I am pleased you're here with us; your skills will be a blessing on an unfamiliar planet." The Quartz daintily returned the abstract sculpture to the Feldspar's hands. "Pearl?"

 

"Yes, ma'am." A thin, tall gem was almost immediately by her side. She kept her eyes downcast to the floor, but her left arm cradled a portable terminal.

 

The Quartz leveled her cool gaze upon the Bloodstone, and the Ruby would have sworn she saw the latter recoil under the force behind it. "Please see to it that Bloodstone is reassigned to security quarters. We have a long way to go, still, and I'd like to avoid more incidents. Bloodstone, please keep a firmer grip on your personal affects. I do not take kindly to predators."

Both the Pearl and the Bloodstone muttered affirmations while the remaining crowd dispersed, the drama clearly over though the buzzing speculation continued. Soon it was only the Feldspar and the Ruby left. They exchanged a perplexed look, but both were silent for several moments.

 

"I think she did it on purpose," the Ruby blurted into the quiet corridor, causing the Feldspar to jump. "The Bloodstone, I mean."

 

"I think so, too." The Feldspar turned the piece over in her hands, her thoughts far away. "So that was the Rose Quartz? The one leading the expedition."

 

The Ruby stared down the hall the gem and her Pearl had disappeared to. "Was it? I didn't know who was in charge. Have you seen her before?"

 

"No," the smaller gem sighed. She stood and brushed off her knees, chasing away little clouds of mineral dust with her fingers. "I was told I'd be working under her orders through her Pearl. It will be myself and a couple more Feldspars. We're to design the planet's main base to her whim."

 

"Oh." The Ruby shifted her weight nervously, her own hands shoved deep in her pockets. "So... Whatcha got there?" She lifted her chin in the direction of the metal she still cradled.

 

"This?" The Feldspar focused her gaze on it and let out a shaky laugh. "I was just trying to pass the time. It's nothing special." After a slight hesitation, she tossed it lightly in the Ruby's direction. "Here. You keep it."

 

The Ruby fumbled for it before finally getting a grip, secretly glad she hadn't let it smack the ground. "Wait, what? Why?"

 

"It just makes me feel... Uneasy now, I guess." The Feldspar smiled tightly. "I think it would only bring me more trouble."

 

"...Okay..." The Ruby pocketed the piece as she felt her face warm in embarrassment. "Be careful, okay? Shield lady won't always be around."

 

"Yeah... Well. See you."

 

The Ruby watched her trot away down the hallway before turning back to her quarters. She shut the door behind her, took a deep breath, and brought the twisted metal from her pocket into the light.

 

Her first thought was that she had never quite seen anything like it, even on her trek through Homeworld's more affluent districts. It was thin but sturdy, definitely abstract; long, pleated arches swirled to a small loop at the top, with multiple thin filaments intertwining at the base and rising upwards alongside the trunk. It sported a flat base so it could be displayed. The entire thing was encased in a miniscule layer of solid glass and gleamed blue in the light, but the Ruby could see the perfectly smooth metal just beneath the surface. It was hard to believe it was made of the same material as her run-down domicile back in the laborer section.

 

She very gently deposited the statue in her bag amongst her other belongings. This new piece made the others look like garbage in comparison, but the Ruby would treasure them all the same.

 

At least two more weeks of travelling faster than light had passed with no more notable events - the Ruby only knew she lost count around the time she first saw the Quartz, and that the journey seemed to stretch on _forever_. She wasn't as bothered by the din of her fellow travellers, and preferred to stay hidden in her quarters. Occasionally she sat near the window, examining the Feldspar's creation in the glimmer of passing starlight as she allowed her mind to wander to trivial things; what would her new planet look like? What would be the color of the sky?

 

It was during one of these times that a Cinnabar came to stand in her doorway. "We are on the final approach. Please remain in your quarters until after landing is complete." The Ruby nodded and the Cinnabar moved on to the next room down the hall.

 

The Ruby turned and pressed her face against the window, eyes roving everywhere, but she could not see any planet. She sat back with a grunt. She must be on the wrong side of the ship; it looked like her official first view of the planet would be when she left the ship. Anxiously, she began to pace. She wasn't nearly as nervous this time, though a worried thread danced about in her thoughts despite her attempts to burn it away.

 

The stars through the window slowed almost to a standstill as the ship dropped out of hyperdrive and streaks of red gradually flitted past her window until their frequency obscured anything celestial from view. The Ruby watched, fascinated, as the deep red turned pale and were eventually overtaken by a clear ice blue spotted with white. _What is this?_ she wondered.

 

The red flames born of atmospheric friction finally dissipated and the Ruby again pushed against her window, desperate to see as much as she could from such a high point. Nearly everything was that same blue, bright and unending, and the Ruby was mostly convinced this planet was primarily water until she snagged a glimpse of green in the far corner. Her face squealed across the glass as she slid to the side, hoping she could see it better if she were only a bit closer. Her eyes widened; never had she seen such light. The green was rising fast as the ship approached the ground and the Ruby was speechless. Plants covered nearly everything as far as the eye could see and above where there should be stars was simply blue nothing. It was so unlike anything she'd known, and she was filled with both intense wonder and immense doubt.

 

Their ship touched down with only a little jarring bounce and the Ruby's view was obstructed completely by the plants. For a moment she couldn't move, her mind racing. The growing sound of gems busying themselves to depart eventually pulled her out of her reverie and she began packing away her belongings so she could join them. Gems filed past her door, mostly silent and wide-eyed, and she could tell that she wasn't the only one awed.

 

The Ruby fastened her knapsack and joined them, shuffling down the red-tinged hallway to the bay doors leading to their new lives. Very few spoke to each other. The Ruby glanced around, trying to find a familiar face, but neither Rubies nor the Feldspar were nearby as she finally stepped from the ship and took it all in.

 

On Homeworld, the sun was distant and small, and its only significance was primarily a measure by which to gauge work shifts. The soil was gritty and dry, the landscape sculptured and geometric. The air was stale and even slightly bitter. It couldn't have been more different from this planet.

 

As soon as her feet left the cold metal of the ramp, the Ruby halted and looked down. Other gems milled around her to either side casting curious glances her way but she ignored them, fascinated by how her feet sank ever-so-slightly into the damp loam. Blades of grass rose to tickle her knees, gently swaying in the fresh breeze weaving through the trees. The shade here was cool and comforting, but the sunlight - despite being unusually bright - was warm, and the Ruby could feel it through her whole being down to her core. She turned her face and closed her eyes to soak it in, a small smile curving her lips, but she jumped and her eyes flew open when it faded without warning. Her eyes flicked up to find the source, and she was surprised to see a dark shape blotting out the sunlight - angered, even - but the light soon returned as the shape drifted along, once again white and fluffy. There were more of these things in the sky, but the Ruby had never seen them before.

 

The various gems began congregating in a nearby clearing. The Ruby, straggling behind as ever, picked her way through the foliage to join them. She couldn't help but to be distracted by small details she encountered; the shape of a leaf here, a small black - spotted red insect there. She wished she could simply explore, though she knew that would be frowned upon.

 

The crowd was immense. Here in the clearing, where the group wasn't compressed by the hard walls of Homeworld's meeting hall, the colonization group spread comfortably until they couldn't quite all fit in the clearing itself. Small knots of gems chattered amongst themselves mostly with excitement. The Ruby noted the Cinnabars were clustered in the center, as stoic as ever, but the segregated norm of Homeworld was otherwise discarded here; gems of all types wove together and intermingled, creating a shimmering, moving landscape of form and color amongst the calm forest backdrop.

 

A rustling in the trees behind her drew the Ruby's attention and she turned, as did several other gems beside her. A large form emerged from the tree line and the sunlight revealed it was the Rose Quartz who was leading the mission. Gems parted on either side to make a path for her as she moved to the center of the clearing. The Pearl in tow close behind was busy making notations on the holopad she still sported in one arm, and the surrounding din gradually fell away in anticipation until the Rose Quartz took her place in the middle of it the gathering with complete silence. She had garnered their attention without uttering a word, such was her presence.

 

The Rose Quartz never stopped smiling. Her gaze flitted over them all and, in final triumph, she lifted her arms to the sky. "Welcome to Earth!" she proclaimed. An enthusiastic cheer erupted from the crowd into the blue heavens above, but the Ruby stayed silent, watching from the edge. Through the merriment of the crowd, a single shape on the opposite end of the clearing stood out, their statuesque form in heavy contrast to the frenzied motion surrounding them.

 

The Ruby narrowed her eyes to peer across the distance, wondering who was so at odds with everyone else. The shape of the armor alone was immediately recognizable as a Bloodstone; her shoulders were tensed and her form stiff and unwelcoming. Gems all around her seemed to give her a wider-than-usual berth. It had to be the Bloodstone who had assaulted the Feldspar earlier in the journey. 

 

The detail that worried the Ruby the most, however, was the Bloodstone's expression; her face was contorted, lips turned down and eyes strained, and her murderous gaze was pointedly fixated to the center of it all, tracking the Rose Quartz like a beast would track its next meal.


End file.
